SBC Oxford Summer Dragon School (Ages 8-12)
THE DESTINATION | THE SCHOOL | MAP | RACHEL’S TAKE | WHY THIS SCHOOL? | FACILITIES | THE COURSES | FROM OUR CLIENTS | HOUSING | SOCIAL LIFE | INSURANCE AND PRICING | REQUEST AN ESTIMATE | OTHER PROGRAMS | SIMILAR PROGRAMS
Offered by Summer Boarding Courses, the UK’s top ranked provider of summer courses for children and teenagers, Oxford Summer School offers excellent academic courses for children aged 8 – 12 at the prestigious preparatory Dragon School in Oxford. The summer school program distinguishes itself from others with its high-quality teaching, additional “plus” course options and a varied multi-activity program, so that children have not only an educational but also an exciting summer experience.
Oxford, “The City of Dreaming Spires,” is a beautiful city of stunning architecture, history and culture. For over 800 years, it has been home to royalty and scholars, and since the 9th century, an established town, although people are known to have lived in the area for thousands of years. Nowadays, the city is bustling and cosmopolitan. The visitor will find traditional and modern colleges, fascinating museums and galleries, and plenty of parks, gardens and green spaces in which to relax. The city center is compact enough to cover on foot, and only a few minutes’ walk from both the main rail and coach stations. With its mix of old and new, there is plenty for both the tourist and resident to do, and for more, Oxford is a just a short hop away from many other attractions and from London.
THE PROGRAM AT A GLANCE
- Location: The Dragon School, Oxford
- Age Range: 8 – 12
- Maximum number of students per session: 160
- Maximum class size: 15
- Accommodation: Residential
- Course duration: 2 or 4 weeks
- Number of full day excursions per week: 2
SBC Oxford Summer Dragon School: Bardwell Rd, Oxford OX2 6SS, United Kingdom
“Nevermind the slick brochures and sales pitches of other schools. The EL Gazette and British Council have said it all about this one—Summer Boarding Courses, who offers this program The Dragon School in Oxford, is the number one provider of programs for children and teenagers in all of the United Kingdom. I’ll explain a bit how this ranking works: every four years, the British Council carries out an inspection of its 500 + member schools in the UK (nearly all reputable language schools in the UK are accredited by the British Council). During the inspection, in which two examiners inspect the school for days, they grade a school in 13 areas like teaching, care of students, accommodation, etc., and in 15 areas if the school also has programs for young learners. For each area, a school can receive a grade of “acceptable,” or it can exceed the expectations of the examiner. When the latter is the case, the school receives what’s called a “strength” in that area. As a result of these inspections, language schools typically receive about 3.5 strengths. On its last inspection in 2018, Summer Boarding Courses received 15 out of a possible 15!
Of the various programs offered by Summer Boarding Courses, there are several reasons that I like this one at the Dragon School. To begin with, the program itself offers the choice of a general or intensive English course, academic subjects for children with a higher English level, and Coding and Young Leader courses, which are in high demand for this age range. Secondly, all of the Summer Boarding Courses programs offer a fantastic nationality mix. Thirdly, the campus itself is stunning, and the facilities are of the highest quality, including the accommodation for its students. The beautiful university city of Oxford has always been a favorite of students wanting to do summer courses, and the Dragon School is one of the most important private boarding schools in the city. Two full day excursions per week, airport transfers, insurance, and a high staff-to-student ratio complete this package, making it an excellent value for parents.”
SBC Oxford Summer Dragon School
Why choose the Summer Boarding Courses (SBC) Oxford Summer School program?
- Summer Boarding Courses is the UK’s top ranked multi-campus summer school with locations in Oxford, Cambridge, London and others.
- Summer Boarding Courses is the only school for children and teenagers to have been awarded a perfect score after its accreditation inspection by the British Council in 2019 (see “Rachel’s Take” above for an explanation of this difficult accomplishment).
- The Oxford Summer School program runs at the prestigious Dragon School in Oxford, only a 20-minute walk from the city center.
- The Dragon School campus features a mixture of modern and traditional buildings, excellent facilities, and expansive sports fields.
- Oxford Summer School offers General English or Junior Summer Study programs with additional optional English Plus programs including intensive language classes, adventure sports, drama, horse riding, and arts and design.
- Oxford Summer School provides traditional dormitory style residential accommodation on campus.
- Oxford Summer School provides excellent standards of welfare and supervision.
The facilities
THE DRAGON SCHOOL FACILITIES AT A GLANCE
- Modern and traditional buildings
- Well-equipped classroom
- Free Wi-Fi
- Dining Hall
- Communal areas
- Extensive sports fields
- Indoor swimming pool
- Dance studio
- 12 tennis courts
MORE ON THE OXFORD SUMMER SCHOOL SERVICES
Welcome Club
The Welcome Club is available to students who book the Transfer Service from London Heathrow airport. It offers refreshments, entertainment and a place to unwind. and to meet other students arriving for their courses before the journey to the school.
Student Welfare
The well-being of its students is Oxford Summer School’s number one priority, and the school’s dedicated staff are available 24 hours a day to assist with any needs that might arise during students’ stay.
Airport Transfers
Airport transfers to and from London Heathrow airport can be arranged at an additional cost. To organize the transfers, Marshall Language Services will need to furnish the participant’s flight information to Oxford Summer School. If children are travelling as unaccompanied minors, Oxford Summer School staff will receive them from the airline personnel, and when the program is over, accompany the participants back to the airport and hand over the children to airline staff.
The courses
ACADEMIC PROGRAM AND SAMPLE TIMETABLE
Oxford Summer School offers General English or Junior Summer Study programs for children aged 8-12. The General English program is available to learners of all levels while the Junior Summer Study program is available to learners with an English level B2 and above, and consists of language learning through the study of subjects such as History, Geography, Literature and Science.
The programs provide:
- Pre-course assessment
- International classes
- 15 clock hours of tuition per week
- 2 or 4 week course duration
- Maximum class size of 15
- Progress monitoring
- All educational materials
- Daily afternoon and evening activities
Additional Intensive English Classes
Oxford Summer School offers additional General English Extra, Intensive English Speaking or Intensive English Writing classes for students who wish to improve their language levels. The additional classes are comprised of 5 hours of tuition that will take place on two afternoons per week, replacing the multi-activity program.
A sample timetable:
RESIDENTIAL ACCOMMODATION
Oxford Summer School offers traditional boarding school dormitory accommodation sleeping 4 to 8 children per room. The accommodation is bright, spacious and colorful, and provides a friendly and cozy environment.
Meals
Residential accommodation includes a full board meal plan with breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks.
Laundry
Bed linens are provided. A weekly laundry service is also provided.
Dates and Fees
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